Situationship is a collection of poetry on the subject of love and relationships, and was penned by author Osamase Ekhator. Taking inspiration from the ambiguous meaning of the collection’s title, the 'situationships' of which the author speaks are romances and personal relationships which have no official title, whether willingly or unwillingly by their participants. In examining these unusual and unofficial relationships without status, we can explore the human heart and its various conditions of euphoria, fulfilment, pain, sadness, jealousy, insecurity and heartbreak. The collection is divided into three sections which encompass the journey: The Chase, I Told You What This Was, and The Let Out.

Heartbreaking for its modern sensibilities and the no-nonsense approach some people have to human emotion, I really felt for the narrator on several occasions during this journey of love and loss. Whilst there are moments where you can get swept up in the romance, spontaneity and apparent freedom of the situationship, author Osamase Ekhator brings his readers back to the reality of people trying to find what they need in life in order to feel loved, safe and comfortable. The commonality of these feelings, combined with the often brutal sensibilities of non-relationships, throws stark contrasts onto the concept of love whilst at the same time digging down to its heart. The verses are also lyrically balanced, almost musical in the way they ring in your head and beat in your heart. Overall, I’d recommend Situationship to any poetry fan due to the poet’s immense heart and lyrical skill.

Situationship by Osamase Ekhator comprises nineteen freestyle poems in three separate sections, The Chase, I Told You What This Was, and The Let Out. They vary from the incredibly short to those that run over a page. Some, such as Stubborn Flowers in the Rain Forest, demand thought, and some, like Battle Of Actium, mask an intensely sensual experience with classical references. How Often Does God Post Her Story is both boldly irreverent and raises the question of the nature of the deity – Him, Her, or an Androgynous Being? I had my favourites, often because a few words, or a single line, appealed and drew me back to reread. I could not resist Red Queens Don’t Need Likes because of “I danced with you on a hiccup of night.”

This Love Will Last Forever is one line of eleven words, and the last of them is “because”. I am still wondering why the writer is so sure, and isn’t that what the best poetry is all about? Making the reader dig deep into their own feelings? Perhaps. In Situationship, Osamase Ekhator gives readers another line much later in – This Love Will Last Forever (Cont.). The last poem in Part Two is Starlets In the Terminal, which I loved for its twists. Situationship ends with a deliberately sexual poem with the unlikely title of Screenshots and Receipts. Unlikely? Dubious, implausible, or incongruous – all those words encapsulate the reality, or sense of unreality, of the dazzlingly different poetry collection that is Situationship by Osamase Ekhator.

Situationship by Osamase Ekhator is a collection of poems that relate to love and heartbreak. Situationship is a poetry collection that begins pretty simply and goes on to pen thoughts and feelings about love, relationships, lust, sex, and romance. Osamase writes in an evocative style about experiences and emotions revolving around love, romance, and lust and talks about a seeing a girl or how it made him feel, or about his intimate moments dancing or just being with someone. The poems mainly deal with the theme of love and heartbreak and portray raw emotion and tears that result from a separation or breakup.

Situationship by Osamase Ekhator is a moving collection and is a bit unlike other poetry collections in the sense that this book tells a story. So although this is a poetry book, at times it felt like a cohesive narrative or a story unfolding, which I appreciated. Osamase writes in a strong, vivid style that brings to life the emotions and feelings that love typically entails in all of its forms. Some of my favorite poems in this book were This Love Has a Cover, Issa Rae Finds Santa Monica Beach, I Had High Expectations of You, Crazy in Loving Color, Boston Night Love Song, etc. I appreciated the ones that talked about mistakes or heartbreak even more than the romantic ones because they suit Osamase’s writing style perfectly, and he can really bring out the rawness and pain that comes with these emotions. Overall, this is a good book for poetry fans.